February 24, 2008--Consumer advocate Ralph Nader speaks to reporters
after an appearance on NBC News' "Meet the Press," during which he announced
he will run for president as an independent candidate. Nader pointed
to issues ranging from single payer health insurance to a bloated military
budget to labor law reform. He questioned whether those "who think
that the country needs an infusion of freedom, democracy, choice, dissent
should just sit on the sidelines and watch the two parties own all the
voters and turn the government over to big business?" "We need to
shift the power from the few to the many," he told host Tim Russert.

After the program Nader fielded questions from reporters outside.
Asked how this campaign would differ from the 2004 campaign, when he was
marginalized and obtained just 463,647 votes (0.38%), Nader pointed to
a lawsuit filed on his behalf several months ago against the Democratic
National Committee and several allied organizations charging them with
using abusive lawsuits, harrassment and intimidation to keep him off the
ballot. Nader said he will need $10 million dollars to run his campaign.
Nader faces an immediate challenge in gaining ballot access in the 50 states.
He said he would have to see about pursuing the Green Party nomination,
but would seek backing of such parties as the Independent Party of Oregon.
Finally, Nader seemed to suggest that he could have an announcement on
his running mate within a week, someone he termed "impressive."